Latest Fieldnotes

A lovely little site set on a gentle northeast slope that leads down to Umberley Brook, there’s a real sense of seclusion and isolation about these stones probably enhanced by the trek across the moor to reach them. All three are just over half a metre tall, about a couple of metres apart and with the axis of presumed square being northnortheast – southsouthwest, assuming of course there was ever a fourth stone.

Fairly easy to find and a short walk across the heather from the track that runs along the western edge of the moor. In Stu’s photo from 2002 the area looks to have been recently burnt off and as of summer 2008 the area to the west hasn’t fully regenerated although the stones themselves are starting to become engulfed in heather and rush and the smaller stones that may have formed part of a kerb are already covered.
The suggestion that the natural stone to the west could have been a prominent feature seems very plausible as it sticks out like a sore thumb, looking like some kind of megalithic sun lounger.
Some nice views to the northwest round to the northeast. OS Ref SK28146973

It’s a bit difficult to fathom this one out. There are several sets of 2 or more stones at the grid ref and slightly southwest that could form part of the arc of a ring cairn and the ground is uneven enough to suggest a low bank in places but nothing definite to my eyes. It’s good to read in Idwal’s post that even the archaeologists can’t agree on some of the sites of the moor.

I had a root round for this one but there’s not much to see (assuming that the site is accurately marked on the OS 1:25000 map) There does seem to be a semi-circular feature to the west of the fence that it evident by the growth of heather more than anything else and a slight change in the vegetation to the north and south where the track beside the fence passes through the cairn. Might be worth a look for the bank in winter.

English Heritage seem particularly undecided on the date of this one, saying probably post-Roman through to possibly as late as 7th century but on the other hand maybe Iron Age or even Bronze Age. So could be anything really.
I wonder if there is a clue in where the northeastern end of the earthwork leads to. As I was driving north away from the site I noticed some strange bumps and small hills to the east just after the two roads join and assumed they were quarry spoil heaps. Checking the maps and internet later I found out these are a natural feature known as Canyards Hills and that Natural England calls them “the most impressive example of ‘tumbled ground’ in England and Wales” Is it significant that Bar Dyke leads to, or from these hills?

I wasn’t expecting much from this site but was pleasantly surprised. Set on a gently northeast facing slope framed by Ewden Beck to the north and one of its tributaries to the east English Heritage record this as being a ring cairn rather than a stone circle. It’s difficult to tell exactly what it is as it’s quite overgrown and rooting around in the bracken and heather turns up many half buried small stones that formed part of a bank which the Morgans reckon is about 2-3 metres wide, the whole circle having a diameter of about 20 metres. There are 4 or 5 largish boulders that could be said to be standing together with a few slab like fallen stones, the rest of the larger stones are towards the northern, northeastern and southeastern edges of the ring while those to the west seem to be mainly packing material from the bank. I’m sure there are many more stones that I missed. The northern entrance seems well defined but I couldn’t quite decide which stones formed the southern entrance although what could be a fallen slab outlier could provide a clue.
The site has some decent views from the northwest round to the southeast but it’s the Salter Hills to the east that really draw the eye. There’s also a few interestingly named places close by – Stone Moor, Bolsterstone, Midhopestones and the wonderfully quaint Wigtwizzle.

Despite the warning of not to try and find this site in summer because of the all-consuming bracken, yesterday, ably assisted by Megadread, I attempted for the second time within a month to find Strawberry Lea.

I am indebted to Megadread for helping me as without his excellent assistance and fabulous company I know I would have had to wait until winter to see this site.

Despite that it was still amazingly hard to find. I’m sure we came within a metre or so of the largest stone several times, but the bracken is such a spoiler that even at that range it was nigh on impossible to find. But through sheer determination and stubbornness, find it we did!

If you do want to visit this site, then I would say go now as we did clear back the bracken to reveal its complete layout. While there I took down the GPS information while standing roughly in the centre of the circle and I got the readings of:

53º 18’ 55.3” N
01º 34’ 14.8’ W

SK28692
BNG79915

An interesting site but what a mess. It sits in it’s own little enclosure on Harland Edge with an information board next to it showing a plan of the bank, ditch, central cairn and cist which you need to study to get any understanding of the monument as the whole site is covered in a layer of bracken and heather. It consists of a central raised cairn (with traces of a stone kerb) that measures about 8 metres square and is about a metre above the surrounding square ditch. Within this central area is a cist which Bateman illustrated as being edged with 13 stones and containing a layer of charcoal with a collection of bones towards the north with a further group of bones as well as fragments of lead ore contained within an arc of stones in the south-eastern corner. He noted that the bones as well as the arc of stones were all fire scorched. The 3 metre wide ditch leads to square bank that measures a further 3 metres in width and stands about a metre tall although the northern side has been lost to a packhorse track.
I got the distinct impression that Hob Hurst’s House and the group of barrows that follow the northwest-southeast line of Harland Edge formed part of a boundary or division of the moors between the sites of Gibbet Moor to the north and those of Beeley Warren on lower ground to the west.

I was really chuffed to see that the butterfly folk who keep the nature reserve in excellent condition are now keeping the grass trimmed back on the two very flat barrows to reveal their location for the first time to casual visitors.

A large bowl barrow with tree on top, left otherwise unmolested by the farmer. No real access but you can admire it from the bridleway that passes the south side of the field. Stop and peer over to your right just as it turns into a very narrow and overgrown fotpath. If you are Julian height you will be fine; I stretched and leant and stretched some more and just as I caught a glimpse through the hawthorns, I fell silently and gracefully into some stinging nettles. There are no dock leaves for miles! MAGIC says that excavations created a deep hollow which makes it look like twin barrows from some angles.

There are, we are told, fourteen round barrows on the slopes below the hill fort. Some of these are fenced off, which is probably a wise move as they are all rather delapidated. I wonder how many others might have been on top and maybe got obliterated to make way for the hill fort. As Jimit reports, you can’t see much of the fort because the top belongs to Lord Snooty and he has decided to plough it up, but you can see a nice causeway entrance. The view from there is now blocked by trees but if you go a bit further West you can see across to Danebury very clearly. The two forts must have made an impressive sight flanking the Test valley.

Though i pass this site at least once a week have never Been before my visit today, i was shown the site by commonera.
The whole area is littered with stones of varying sizes with wonderful views, can be likened to the mothers jam. A wonderful place for a family visit and picnic. Ample parking at the Surprise view pay and display car park across the road. A short way from the site is an amazing view across the Hope valley.
Though Barnatt considers the site just a fortuitous arrangement of stones, i would say if so its very fortuitous. !

Not an easy site to find but what’s left of it becomes recognisable once you know where it is. The outer three large stones are the most obvious things to look out for then the bank which seems to measure a couple of metres wide with a large stone that may well have formed part of an inner kerb. It’s a shame that the site is so damaged as it could have been an impressive place. I’ve got an OS ref of SK2696075154 which puts it just a shade to the right of the circle marked ‘enclosure’ on the OS 1:50000 map. There’s a load of (clearance?) cairns and rocks of the Swine Sty field system as well as a handfull of barrows to the northeast.

A limestone and rubble cairn measuring 17-18 metres in diameter and less than a metre tall which stands at the foot of Beacon Hill with Great Asby Scar just beyond to the east. These hills are of course the same ones that overlook Gamelands circle a mile and a quarter to the southeast. It’s just possible that there is a sightline between these two sites, if anybody is passing Broadfell it might be worth checking it out (I didn’t realise until checking the map much later).

A limestone and earth cairn measuring between 18-23 metres in diameter and about a metre high that stands on a northeast-southwest spine of land that runs between the valleys of Lyvennet Beck to the west and Scale Beck to the east. It has been lucky to survive as there is a limestone quarry just a few metres away to the south. Some nice views to the northeast towards the Lune Forest and Dufton and Murton Fell.

Probably best approached from the south where a road leads to a nice house, but a long walk is needed from the north, can you guess which way I came from? Its still a nice walk with the narrow hill top coming into view as you approach along the footpath. A fence needs to be crossed and it’s up the hill. The large low cairn is well defined towards the southern edge of the ridge, the whole of which is situated at one end of a large bowl created by the surrounding hills. It may seem a bit obsessive but iv’e been wanting to come here for at least 2 years , here at last and its a pleasure to behold, and such a gorgeous day too.

The barrow, although not so interesting in itself, stands on a promontory of the South Downs which leads down to Southwick and Shoreham. However, from this elevated position you get breath-taking views of the whole coastline from the east of Brighton to the west of Worthing, the River Adur as it snakes past Lancing College and the stretch of the South Downs to the North with Trueleigh Hill directly behind you. There was a settlement here also, but I don’t know if this dated from the neolithic or from more recent medieval times. It was getting too dark to actually get a look at this aspect of the site so another visit will ensue. It’s worth visiting just for it’s isolation, peacefulness (apart from the roar of the A27 which passes just beneath it) and the abundance of natural flora all around it.

Situated close to the road, a few hundred meters after the church if one arrives from the north (road no 118, Sarpsborgveien).

Two stonecircles (13 stones each), about 2000 years old according to the informationboard. Both restored in 1938.

Supposedly there have been a temple (hov) dedicated to the god Tor and a sacred grove here. Used as a meeting- and dancingsite up till 50-60 years ago.

After ignoring the dead-end signs mentioned elsewhere in these fieldnotes we found ourselves at the gate of Tynreich Nursery on a typically overcast Scottish summer’s day. We walked in through the deserted driveway and caught a glimpse of the stones off to our right, but found no sign of life other than one of the house’s doors lying slightly ajar. Walking ahead, I found the hanging bell at the top of the driveway and gave it a clang as directed.. still no sign of life.

We made our way to the stones and spent about ten minutes in the circle, trying hard to visualise the area minus the trees, buildings & fences, before getting back in the car and heading for Loch Tay.

No-one ever did appear but we were fortunate enough to meet Megan on our way out so I thanked her with some behind-the-ear scratching and bid her farewell.

A lovely site, one of the most peculiar we’ve had the good fortune to visit.

A row of three bowl barrows on a slight rise on Stoborough heath. These are north of the Purbeck hills and form part of a spread out barrow cemetery covering most of the heathland in this area. They are on a farm and cannot be walked upon without permission. However they are easily visible from the narrow road which leads to the small village of Arne and its nature reserve.
Orientated roughly west to east, they vary in size from 27 metres by 2 in height to 13 metres by 0.8 in height. They are also known as Arne 13, 14 and 15.

It’s a World War II observation post not Jackson’s Barrow. I made the same mistake myself and couldn’t believe such a fantastic barrow was not more widely known about.
However, Jacksons Barrow is actually the far less prominant bump a bit further up the hill which may according to some sources be a natural feature.

From the south, drive through the center of Steinkjer (E6) and the sign to Egge will soon show up.

Egge is an area with several burial remains (33 in all) spread along the ridge (Eggevammen). Mainly mounds, 6 of them wide (diameter 18-29 m.), and low stonecircles.

In the nearby cemetery stand a 2 meter high standing stone.

Take road 762 towards Ogndal from the center of Steinkjer, after about 2,5 km follow the sign to Gravfelt 1,5 km. The site is located in a residental area, but has enough space.

There are 2 large standing stones, each about 5 meters tall.

There is also a stonecircle with a center stone. And some large burial mounds.

Placed in the garden of the Tingvoll Park Hotell in Steinkjer the remains of this stone shipsetting consists of 38 stones (of originally probably 45).

It’s 9 meters at the widest, and must originally have been about 40 meters long.

The area once sported other stone circles, 3 standing stones and several burialmounds according to a map drawn in 1816 by L.D. Klüwer (published in Klüwers Norsk mindesmerker 1823)

This is an extended barrow cemetery on military land. There is a footpath across the site and the two barrows photographed here so far are the most easily accessible.
The most prominent is to the north of the footpath and is a large low bowl barrow covered in heather at this time of the year.
The other one is to the south of the path is in worse condition, having been damaged by tanks in the past. Happily now it is fenced off. It has an O.S. trig point on top of it and a flint knife and bronze dagger were found when a flagpole was erected. The finds are now in Dorset County museum.
There is another barrow to the north of these two marked imaginatively on O.S. maps as “Round Barrow”. I couldn’t find it and didn’t look too hard as it appears to be on an explosives range used by the Royal Marines to practice blowing up stuff, so I didn’t fancy hopping fences to look for it.